Hair comb and the like



ite

3,660,941 HAIR (10MB AYE) 'Elim UKE Werner B. Har-ietf, 4G Mar-Kon Drive, Northport, NX. Filed Jan. 12, 1961, Sex'. No. 82,316 2 Slaims. (Ci. 132-11) This invention relates to hair combs and the like.

The usual comb and the like have teeth rigidly connected with the back thereof. In combs constructed of hard rubber, thermoplastic material or the like, the teeth are usually molded integrally with the back. This provides a construction in which the teeth are relatively rigid and inexible. in order to overcome this objection, the present invention provides a comb and the like in which the teeth are so constructed and connected with the back as to permit of the flexing of the teeth with reference to the back.

Another object of the invention is to provide a comb with teeth which are substantially inflexible, but which are flexibly connected to the back to thus provide a hair comb with substantially inexible portions which fuuction similarly to the customary rigid form of hair comb, and yet permit independent flexing of the individual teeth forming the principal portion of the comb in order to avoid breaking the `teeth from the comb-back and to permit the comb to ease through hair snarls with less possibility tof injuring the users hair.

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide `a hair comb with a substantially-rigid back and end teeth to serve as a guard for the flexibly-Connected teeth which are connected with the back between ythe substantiallyrigid end teeth in order to facilitate the use and handling of the comb.

lt is also intended to furnish a hair comb with teeth having a substantially rigid portion and a substantially flexible connecting por-tion attached to a rigid back or frame, in which the back and rigid teeth portions may be of a rubber, thermoplastic or other readily molded substance or composition, while the flexible portions may be formed of the same or a dissimilar material such as steel or other flexible metal or wire.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hair comb in which there is a substantially rigid back or frame including end teeth and with teeth between the end teeth llexibly connected to the back or frame by exible portions which are of lesser cross-section than the teeth and which space .the rigid teeth portions from the back to permit more ready flexing of the rigid teeth portions.

The invention also comprehends a hair comb having a rigid back or frame and end teeth and a row of spaced substantially rigid teeth arranged between the end teeth and flexibly connected to the back and spaced therefrom by means of a llexible connecting portion, in which the back or frame and the teeth are of slightly greater crosssection than the connecting flexible portions to permit the ends of the latter to be embedded respectively in the back and flexibly-mounted teeth.

.Other objects of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the following specification and drawings in which FIG. l is a front plan view of a comb constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG. `1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view on the line 3 3 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings in which a hair comb is illustrated but which may be -any type of comb having a frame 10 with end teeth 11 and a row of teeth 12 each connected to the back 10 by means of a flexible connection `1?. The back 10, end teeth 11 and the row of teeth 12 may be of any desired length and fashioned of any bbl Patented Oct. 30, 1952 material such as hard rubber, thermoplastic material, metal or other materials or composition. The teeth 12 may be of the same material as the back 10` and will be substantially rigid or inllexible, but by reason of the exible portions 13, the individual teeth Will be flexibly mounted to permit dlexing out of the row alignment as when caught in a hair snarl when in use or when dropped. This flexible mounting will thus prevent the teeth from being easily broken from the back and will permit flexing of the teeth to avoid injuring the users hair.

Where the lteeth 12 are connected to the back by means of a dissimilar material, the teeth and back preferably will be of such cross-sectional thickness as to permit the respective ends of the flexible portions 13` to be embedded into the back 10 and flexing teeth 12. i

Additionally, it has been found advisable to space the ends of the flexing teeth 12 at the ends which are connected to the back I,10, slightly apart `from the back 16 by means of the flexible portions -13 to permit of more ready flexing of the teeth 12.

-It is obvious that the teeth may :be of any cross-sectional shape but in practice it has been found generally advisable to form the teeth 12 in substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape wtih the thinner cross-section area extending along the longitudinal axis of the back y10 to provide more rigid and stronger teeth.

The flexible portions 13 may be of any desired crosssectional shape depending upon the nature of the material used Iltherefor and the degree of flexibility desired. Similarly, the length of the flexible portions 13` will vary in order to afford the desired degree of ilexibility. -In practice, it has been found that a metallic wire which is substantially round in cross-section, serves the purpose of ease of manufacturing and adequate flexibility in all directions.

While the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the same is not so limited :but shall cover and include any and all modifications of the invention which fall within the purview thereof.

What is claimed is:

!1. A hair comb or the like including a substantiallyrigid back or frame member and a row of .teeth depending therefrom and comprising a fixed substantially-rigid tooth at each end of said row of teeth and a plurality of teeth extending between said fixed end teeth and spaced apart therefrom and from each other, each of said intermediate teeth having a rigid portion and a Iflexible portion joining the rigid portion to said back and spacing said rigid portion therefrom, said flexible portion being of slightly smaller cross-sectional area than the rigid portion of said tooth and comprising a flexible metallic member of circular formation in cross-section having one end thereof Ixedly embedded in said comb back and the other end thereof xedly embedded in said rigid portion to flexibly mount the same with respect to said .back and each other.

2. A hair comb or the like including a substantially rigid back and a row of teeth depending therefrom, each of said teeth having a rigid portion and a flexible portion joining the rigid portion to said back and spacing said rigid portion therefrom, said flexible portion being of smaller cross-sectional area than the rigid portion of said teeth and comprising a flexible metallic member having one end thereof xedly embedded in said back and the other end thereof tlxedly embedded in said rigid portion Vto thereby exibly connect the rigid portion with said back.

References Cited in the le of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 1,003,915 France Mar. 24, 1952 

